Lens-grinding machine.



, PATENTED AUG-{30, 1904,

L. WILHELMi LENS GRINDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APB..1B, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

NO MODEL.

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Z. 01/65 M5 4660:2776 a PATENTED AUG. 30, 1904" L. WILHELM. LENSGRINDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 18, 1904.

2' SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

a w W M ay , the pointer-shaft.

Patented August 30, 1904.

PATENT OEETCE.

LOUIS WILHELM, ,OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

LENS-GRINDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 768,713, dated August30, 1904.

Application filed April 18, 1904.

To a. whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Louis WVILHELM, a citizen of the United States,residing at VVorcester, in the county of WVorcester and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and use-- ful Lens-Grinding Machine,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a grinding-machine for shaping lenses forspectacles or eyeglasses.

The especial objects of this invention are to provide a strong, compact,eflicient, and accurate grinding-111achine which can be readily andquickly adjusted for grinding different sizes and shapes of lenses, theoperation being controlled by a guide-plate or former which is locatedimmediately adjacent to the lens or lenses being ground.

To these ends this invention consists of the lens-grinding machine andof the combinations of parts therein, as hereinafter described, and moreparticularly pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the accompanying two sheets of drawings, Figure 1 is a frontperspective view of a lens-grinding machine constructed accord ing tothis invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view thereof, partly brokenaway. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the spring controlling Fig. 1 is afragmentary perspective view showing the holding-tool and sufiicientparts of the grinding-machine to illustrate the way the work is put inplace therein. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail view of one of the jaws ofthe tool. Fig. 5 is a detail view showing the machine open for thereception of work. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, showing the workclamped in place; and Figs. 7 to 9, inclusive, are detail views of thedifferent formers which may be used as templets or guides in thegrinding of different forms of lenses.

In that class of grinding-machines to which this invention relates thelens or lenses which are being ground are mounted to turn with a shaftwhich is journaled in a swinging frame. The swinging frame is normallycarried toward a grinding-wheel under spring-pressure,

and the swinging of the frame is controlled by a cam or former shaped toproduce the desired ellipse or other outline of lens. An

Serial No. 203,604. (No model.)

example of these grinding-machines is illustrated in my prior UnitedStates Letters Patent, No. 656,685, granted to me August 28, 1900.

The especial object of the present invention is to provide alens-grinding machine in which the former is located immediatelyadjacent to the work which is being ground and to provide simple andconvenient adjustments for setting the machine to produce wide varietiesof work.

Referring to the accompanying drawings and in detail, A designates abase-plate or casting. The base-plate or casting A is provided withslots 10 for receiving the fastening-bolts, which may fasten theconstruction in proper position to cooperate with a grinding-stone oremery-wheel S. The 'stone S may be rotated in any of the usual mannersand also preferably has a slight lateral motion imparted thereto, thesidewise travel of the stone being imparted by any of the well-knownconnections, which need not be herein described at length. At the rearof the baseplate A are projections or bosses 11, and journaled in thebosses 11 is a shaft 12. Pivoted on the shaft 12 is a swinging frame 11, and journaled in the swinging frame 14. are the shafts 15 and 16.Fastened upon the shaft 15 is a gear 17, which meshes with and is drivenby a pinion 18 on the shaft 12. Secured on the shaft 16 is a gear 19,which meshes with and is driven by a wide-faced pinion 20 upon the shaft12. The shaft 16 is longitudinally movable in its bearings and isprovided with a cushioned clamping disk or plate at its end. Carried bythe shaft 16 is a spring 21, which bears upon a collar 22. Mountedloosely upon the shaft 16 is an opening-cam 23, which is provided with ahandle and has an inclined face which cooperates with the inclined faceof the bearing. By turning the opening-cam the shaft-16may be movedlongitudinally to open the machine for the reception of the work, ashereinafter described. The fixed shaft 15 is provided at its inner endwith a block or clamping-disk 25, having projecting pins for detachablyreceiving the different formers, as hereinafter described.

The connections for adjusting the machine nor in which the work maybefastened in the are most clearly illustrated in Fig. 2. As shown in thisfigure, 26 designates a slide which has an upright or arm 27 at itsinner end carrying the curved contact-plate 28, which lies close to theface of the stone, as shown in 4:. The slide 26 is normally forced backby a spring 29 and may be drawn forward by an zuljusting-screw 30,having a thumb-wheel at its front end. An indicatingpointer is providedto aid in adjusting the machine.

As shown in Fig. 2, the slide 26 is provided with a rack 31, whichmeshes with and turns a pinion secured upon the vertical pointershaft32. Fastened on the upper end of the pointer-shaft 32 is a pointer orindex-finger 33, which cooperates with index-marks which may be numberedupon the cover-plate 34:, as most clearly indicated in Fig. 1.

The different-shaped formers and the manmachine are most clearlyillustrated in the second sheet of drawings.

As shown in Figs. 7 to 9, inclusive, the formers may have a considerablevariety of shapes, from the perfectly-round former illustrated in Fig. 7to the comparatively long and flat oval-shaped former illustrated inFig. 9. In all shapes, however, each of the formers comprises a metallicdisk or body portion 40, having a cushion ll on one face thereof. Thebody portion of each former is also preferably provided with twogage-holes 42 near its circumference and with two drive-pin holes 4A,which are adapted to fit onto the pins 45 of the grinding-shaft 15.

In order to fasten the lens or lenses which are to be operated upon inproper position, I preferably employ a carrying-tool or springfork.

In the use of this tool, as illustrated in Fig. 4:, the proper-shapedformer F, (illustrated in Fig. 7,) the former F, (illustrated in Fig.8,) or the former F (illustrated in Fig. 9) is first selected, and itsgage-pin holes 42 are fitted to the small pins projecting from one jawof the spring-clamp, as shown in Fig. 4. The lens is next put in placeat the side of the former, care being taken to have the center of thelens opposite the center hole in the former and to have the central lineof the lens (which may be marked with red ink or otherwise indicated) inline with the gage-holes 4:2. The spring clamping-tool is then used tohold the lens and former together in proper position, so that they maythen be inserted into the machine while the shafts are separated, asillustrated in Fig. 5, after which the spring-pressed grinding-shaft 16will clamp and hold the work in place to be operated upon. The index-armis then set to proper number, and, as illustrated most clearly in Fig.1, the swinging frame may be turned back to bring the work intoengagement with the stone S by means of a spring 4E6 .the ten sion ofsaid spring being regulated by means of a chain 4L7, the different linksof whichmay be set into engagement with the pin 48. Where two or morelenses are being ground, a heavier pressure can be used without dangerof chipping or injuring the work than when a single lens is beingground.

In the actual use of a machine as thus constructed it will be seen thatthe former is in immediate proximity to the work, and on this accountthe work will be swung toward and away from the stone without liabilityof chat-- tering or other inequality of motion which is liable to chipor injure the work being done.

To compensate for the wear of the grinding-stone, the indieatingpointer33 may be set to different positions upon its vertical shaft, or theentire construction maybe shifted upon its support, if desired.

I am aware that changes may be made in the construction of my machinefor grinding lenses by those who are skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the scope of my invention as expressed in the claims. Ido not wish, therefore, to be limited to the construction I: have hereinshown and described; but

hat I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is-

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination of two shafts inalinement with each other, a plurality of removable gage disks orformers, means for causing a relative longitudinal movement of theshafts to clamp a lens-blank and a selected former in place between theends of the shafts, and a contactplate cooperating with the former andlocated close to the grinding-wheel.

2. In a machine for grinding lenses,the com bination of two shaftsarranged in alinement, a plurality of removable gage plates or formers,means for producing a relative longitudinal motion between said shaftsto clamp a lens-blank and a selected former in place between the ends ofthe shafts, a contact- Hate to be engaged by the former and located nearthe grinding-wheel, and means for adjusting the contact-plate to producedifferent-shaped lenses.

3. In a machine for grinding lenses, the combination of shafts arrangedin alinement, one of said shafts having a contact-face, and the other ofsaid shafts having a face with registering-pins projecting therefrom, aplurality of removable formers, each having sockets for engaging theregistering-pins, means for producing a relative longitudinal movementbetween the shafts to clamp a former and a lensblank between the ends ofthe shafts, the position of the former being determined by theregistering-pins, and a contact-plate cooperating with the former, andmeans for ad justing the contact-plate to produce lenses of differentshapes.

4:. In a machine for grinding lenses,the combination of a swingingframe, shafts j ournaled IIO therein, a former turning with said shafts,a contact-plate cooperating with the former, means for adjusting thecontact-plate toward and away from the grinding-wheel to producedifferent sizes and shapes of lenses, and a pointer cooperating with anindex to show the different adjustments of the contact-plate.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a cam orformer, a contactplate for engagement therewith, means for adjusting thecontact-plate to produce diflferent sized and shaped lenses, a swingingpointer cooperating with an index to show the different adjustments ofthe machine, and a spring normally tending to turn the pointer in onedirection to prevent lost motion or backlash in the adjustment thereof.

6. In a machine of the class described, the

my hand in the presence of two subscribing 3 witnesses.

LOUIS WILHEL M.

Witnesses:

LoUIs W. SOUTHGATE, PHILIP W. SOUTHGATE.

